#fanffic

Bruce’s hand on his back was the only reason Dick didn’t bolt and run away. Dick didn’t even look like a Jedi anymore, wearing more armor than he ever had and a mask that hid away half of his face. Extra security, Bruce, whom Dick had never seen without his helmet, had said. The Mandalorian usually never left an opportunity to criticize Dick’s steadfast refusal to wear even more protective gear pass by. They had come to some sort of compromise when every attempt to give Dick more armor ended with Dick painting it in vivid colors. Not very Jedi like, but he’d gone with the colors of the beads that used to be part of his Padawan braid: red, yellow and green.

Dick would simply prefer to have his lightsabers, or at least one of them, in his hands. He didn’t like blasters and viroblades were only so effective. (But Dick had lost his weapons, lost his life, running away from a battlefield of friends turned enemies.)

But that was what they were here for, tracking down new kyber crystals for Dick to use and hopefully also rumors of other survivors of the purge.

“A child,” Bruce replied, his voice echoing in the metal. “Do not concern yourself with my affairs and tell me what I want to know.”

The sound had scared Dick the first time he’d heard the other speak. Nowadays, the dark and metallic echo reassured Dick that everything was alright.

“Do you have any idea how dangerous their Padawans-“ The man spit the word like an insult. Dick curled his hands to fists and took a breath. (There is no emotion, there is peace.) “-already are? Where’s your lightsaber, Jedi? How many have you killed?”

(There is no death, there is the- screaming and crying and begging, blaster fire, Good soldier follow orders, Run! Run, Di-)

Dick was pulled back into the present by Bruce slamming one of his hands on the table while he reached for the collar of the information broker with the other.

“I asked you something and I want answers,” Bruce hissed.

“Of- of, course!” The man stuttered and held up his hands. “I- there are rumors about a man from Krypton-“

“Krypton is gone.”

The planet had perished over two decades ago. A lot of Jedi had been there to help with the evacuations, but they’d been too late to help the isolationist planet. They had perished right alongside the Kryptonians. There weren’t any left.

“But there has been a survivor, allegedly. The Last Son of Krypton. The Empire’s been trying to find him, it’s all very much on the down-low, but he should be able to help you.”

“Coordinates.”

The man shook his head. “I- I don’t have any. But! I guess, starting somewhere near the remains of Krypton would be good?”

Bruce let go of the man so hastily, he fell to the ground.

“Let’s go,” he told Dick and turned around, marching out of the hideout, his black cape flaring behind him.

“My payment!” The man shouted but was quickly silenced by a blade soaring through the air, pinning his back against the wall.

Bruce hadn’t even needed to look to throw it with deadly accuracy. Moments like this ensured that Dick had a hard time believing Bruce wasn’t Force-sensitive, but the few times he had tried to broach the topic, Bruce had shut him down.

“So, Krypton it is?” Dick asked once they were out of earshot.

Y/N had fallen into the Winchesters’ lives purely by accident after they had saved her life on a hunt that had gone terribly wrong. After nearly two years of partnership, the three were a family, though there was a secret between them that no one dared speak of.

Y/N was in love with Dean, and Dean was in love with her. Sam knew their bond all too well and spent countless nights consoling them individually about their feelings for the other. He hoped the day would finally come when Y/N and Dean would put away their pride and confess their need for each other. 

But, the time for that had come and gone. It was too late for Dean and that moment would never come for them. In their foolish need to keep themselves distant from anyone, they lost out on something that could have been one of the best parts of their lives. 

The three stood close together, panting for air and their hearts racing with fear. How long the door would hold, only their last moments would tell.

Dean shook in terror as he turned to his partners and swallowed hard before forcing a grin. “Guess this is it.”

“No,” Sam pleaded. “There has to be another way.”

“Sammy, you and I both know we did everything we could.” Dean found Y/N’s gaze and softly smiled. “But I love you both for trying.” As a tear fell from his eyes, that was all it took for Y/N and Sam to come undone. 

Grabbing his brother’s jacket, and with despair in his eyes, Sam forced Dean’s attention. “No. It’s not supposed to be this way. I was supposed to die, not you.” He shook his head and it fell in heartbreak. 

Dean’s hand tapped his brother’s cheek and he felt the teardrops on Sam’s face. In his last attempt to comfort his little brother, Dean replied, “it was worth it.”

“I can’t be without you, Dean.”

From behind them, Y/N closed her eyes to muster up what courage she had as she began to tremble. 

“You won’t have to...” she said as her voice cracked with emotion.

With tears in their eyes, Sam and Dean looked back at her. 

“What are you talking about?” Dean asked.

“I’m sorry. I hated lying to you. I hated keeping this secret, but it was my only option.” Y/N wiped her wet cheeks and sniffled. “They’re not here for you, Dean. ...they’re here for me.”

“What?” Sam’s voice was soft, shocked, and broken.

“I knew Sam needed you as much as you needed him, Dean. I had to do something.”

With wide, terrified eyes, Dean choked out his words. “What did you do?”

“...I made a deal.”

“What?”

Y/N nodded nervously. “I convinced the crossroads demon to destroy your contract.”

“In exchange for what?!” he bit.

“...for me.”

The hounds roared at the door and it rattled violently. 

“You two are my whole world,” Y/N sobbed. “And I don’t regret it for a second.”

“No, no, no, no...” Dean begged under his breath as his hands wrapped around both of her arms and squeezed. “We have to undo this. We have to stop it.” He spoke a mile a minute as his desperate words fell from his lips. “There’s gotta be a way. I’m not letting you do this. You can’t do this.”

Y/N reached up for Dean’s face and rubbed his stubble with her thumb. “It’s done,” she replied sweetly.

Sam choked back his weeping and bit his lip as it quivered. “Y/N...”

“Sam,” Y/N smiled as tears ran over her feigned expression. “It’s okay. I got this.” 

Dean’s eyes flickered back and forth across her face with panic and he thought he could actually feel his heart breaking. 

“I can’t--” his voice trailed off as it broke in his throat. “I can’t just let you go.”

“You have to.”

“No...”

Finding his tear-filled green eyes, Y/N slowly stretched up towards him and planted a loving kiss on Dean’s lips. His brow scrunched in emotion as he lost himself in the softness of her kiss. He couldn’t help but think of all the time wasted, of all the chances they had missed out on together.

“I love you...” Y/N admitted in almost a whisper.

Dean’s jaw shook and he sobbed. “I love you too.”

Their foreheads came together as they took the other’s hand. 

The loud chiming of the clock announced the midnight hour and the three hunters jumped. With a deafening crash, the hellhounds broke through the barricade, causing the goofer dust to brush away and break the line. 

Y/N felt her knees weaken as she released Dean’s hold and forced herself to walk to the middle of the room. She stood there silently, listening to the hounds panting in hunger.

With a final glance back at the Winchesters, Y/N uttered, “I love you both.” 

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